Energy saving tips in the home

thriftytracey

Reduce the number of showers.

Started using small bowl in sink (formerly used sink itself to fill for washing up)

I am wondering about getting an induction hob instead of using the gas hob? Very quick to heat up and cool down.  Also easier to clean!

Use slow cooker more often - not sure if that is a saving?

Turn hot water temperature down on boiler

We don't use our gas heating at all - log burning stove and a couple of halogen heaters (kitchen and bathroom).  Experimenting with coal - it does lasts longer but doesn't reach such high temperatures as logs.

MaryNB

Swipe said:

The best investment I made was to buy a Beurer foot warmer from Argos as my circulation to my extremities isn't great. As long as my feet are warm I can wear a fleece and feel comfortably warm sitting inactive in living room temperatures of 17-18C.

Best thing I did was buy an heated throw which I use when I'm working from home or sat on the couch. I live alone so it means I can turn the house down a couple of degrees without noticing. I love it. 


I have a smart thermostat which help me significantly reduce how often I have the heat on. I used the boost function a lot so I don't accidentally leave it on. Sometimes I work late in the office so I don't bother leaving the heating on on a timer. I just turn it on remotely as I'm leaving the office so it's warm when I get home and isn't on for hours before I arrive if I decide to work late.  

Gobsh

Since we've all become more energy conscious I am absolutely amazed how little water I really need to put in the kettle to make one cup of tea and how much faster it boils as the result, I didn't realise how much extra water I was boiling unnecessarily and I'm sure I am using less than half the amount of electricity to make drinks

Verdigris

I find putting one cupful in works every time.

Sea_Shell

Verdigris said:

I find putting one cupful in works every time.

Are you in hard water area?

Even with regular de-scaling, our kettle quickly gets crud build up and I don't want crunchy bits in my coffee.  I don't find spout filters very effective.

Boiling a little extra than I strictly need, I'm fairly sure, is cheaper than buying more de-scaler and the rinsing and boiling required for that each time.

My mum uses a water filter, but those cartridges aren't cheap either.

Verdigris

Are you in hard water area?

No, thank goodness.

[Deleted User]

I use white vinegar and enough water to cover the bottom of the kettle. Then boil it to descale mine.
It's.chealer than descalers and filters.

EssexHebridean

Gobsh said:

Since we've all become more energy conscious I am absolutely amazed how little water I really need to put in the kettle to make one cup of tea and how much faster it boils as the result, I didn't realise how much extra water I was boiling unnecessarily and I'm sure I am using less than half the amount of electricity to make drinks

There is one exception here - and while in specialist circumstances it will apply to a good number of people. If you're on Economy 7, and you boil the kettle for the first time in the day before the rate changes over, then boil a FULL kettle and transfer the balance to a vacuum flask. when you come to have your second, third etc cups of coffee the water is there ready, and if you're a tea drinker it will boil a lot faster a cupful at a time from hot, than it would from stone cold. 

For those in hard water areas by the way, an old-style tea strainer works wonderfully for the times when you're not quite ready to descale, but don't want crunchy bits...(Speaking as someone in an area with such stupidly hard water that I still get limescale build up even using filtered water!) 

eastcorkram

Maybe a dumb question, but say you move into somewhere new, how do you tell what sort of bulbs are fitted? 

Verdigris

eastcorkram said:

Maybe a dumb question, but say you move into somewhere new, how do you tell what sort of bulbs are fitted? 

If you remove it from the fitting there may be something written on the "stem" end. LEDs often have aluminium cooling fins. Sometimes you can see the individual LEDs in GU10-type spot bulbs. CFL lamps are often formed from tubes rather than being in shape of an old-fashioned bulb. LEDs are twice as efficient as CFLs and 10 times more efficient than filament bulbs.